Pin box control mechanism



Jan? 17, 1956 c. A. PARKER ET AL 2,731,197

PIN BOX CONTROL MECHANISM Original Filed June 14, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS.

1956 c. A. PARKER ET AL PIN BOX CONTROL. MECHANISM 25 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed June 14, 1949 R 0 T m V m Jan. 17, 1956 c. A. PARKER ET AL PIN BOX CONTROL MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed June 14, 1949 INVENTORS Q W r I ATTORNEYS United States Patent PIN BOX CONTROL MECHANISM Charles A. Parker, Chicago, Ill., and Clifton K. Rainey, Knoxville, Tenn., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Burroughs Corporation, a corporation of Michigan Original application June 14, 1949, Serial No. 99,981, new Patent No. 2,696,945, dated December 14, 1954. Divided and this application February 23, 1952, Serial No. 272,977

7 Claims. (Cl. 235-60) This invention relates to accounting machines of the ten-key type in which a stop pin box is used to control the differential positions of calculator actuators, and is more particularly a means to control the movement of the pin box from the actuators by spring means energized previously for moving the box.

This application is a division of our copending application Serial No. 99,081 filed on June 14, 1949, now Patent No. 2,696,945 and entitled Accounting Machine.

An object of this invention is to provide in an accounting machine having calculating actuators and a stop pin box movable into and out of the path of the actuators, a means for blocking and releasing the stop pin box at predetermined increments of a cycle of an actuator operating member energizing the movement of the pin box during increments of the cycle other than the releasing increment.

Another object is to provide a means for controlling the release of energy for moving the stop pin box from the path of actuators at a given instant in the movement of actuators commensurate with the actuator moving means.

A still further object is to provide a means for locking the stop pin box against movement in either direction when the calculating operating member has been started in its cycle of operation.

Other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

in the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation with the front part of the main frame removed for illustration of detail;

Figure 2 is a horizontal section substantially on the line 22 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a detail of the means for effecting item canceling and correction operation of the stop pin box.

An essential part of the machine is embodied in a driven reciprocable element which operates through a defined cycle between limit positions in one of which it is at test, under the influence of motor means to ac; complish many functions and to effect the positioning and actuation of the various members and instrumentalities by which the different operations of the associated mechanisms are carried out. This member, herein referred to as an operating frame generally designated at 0, provides for the actuation of the various instrumentalities after the machine has been conditioned for their proper sequential operation. It is an important aspect of this invention that, for the greater part, the operation of the various levers, detents, and actuators is under the influence of springs, whereby the various elements are biased or urged into operating movement that is normally restrained by the withholding action of other elements movable under the influence of the operating frame to permit operation of the various levers, detents, and actuators under the influence of their springs. This relieves the motor of a very considerable load, and not only assures fast, smooth operation of the machine but also eliminates to a major extent any possibility of breakage in the event of jamming. Should something occur to jam any parts of the mechanism, the affected parts will not be moved under a force greater than that exerted by their associated springs.

The calculating unit, generally indicated as at A in Figure 1, embodies a plurality of conventional calculator actuators, here shown as slides 142, one for each digit of the calculating unit, which reciprocate horizontally in a frame structure 143 that extends rearwardly from the rear end of the main frame dtl on the base plate 112. The frame 143 is so positioned relative to the general assembly that the printing point at the type guide 43 is disposed substantially between the second and third digits of the adding type bar assembly.

Each actuator of the calculating unit is provided with an abutment 14 i positioned rearwardly of the stop pin box assembly for engagement by one of the stop pins 132', when positioned, so that forward movement of the actuator is arrested at the proper point determined by the numeral key.

The machine incorporates in its stop pin box assembly the usual slide plate 145 between the steps 14% and shoulders 146 on the calculator slides. It is activated in the conventional manner from the stop box lug 147 which pivots the slide at 14%.

Movement of the calculator actuators derives from that of the operating frame and is initiated through'a spring bias that becomes effective upon the release of restraining means. The restraining means, herein embodied in an actuator restore bar, is movable to release position by propulsion from the operating frame at a predetermined point in one direction of its travel. Propulsion of the restraining means acts against the tension of spring means biasing the restraining means to operative position. The bias of the spring means which urges the restraining means to operative position is utilized to return the adding type bars from printing position during movement of the operating frame in an opposite direction, jointly with restoration of the calculator actuators to initial position.

Item destroying mechanism The machine has mounted at the right hand side of the frame the usual hand-operated correction lever that is arranged to be pulled forwardly and released for spring return to its normal position in carrying out a correction operation. The correction lever functions in the usual manner to rock its actuator shaft 425, shown in Figure 1, so that when the correction lever is pulled forwardly a crank 4-27 on the control lever shaft exerts forward pull on a draw wire 423 that extends rearwardly in the frame assembly in pivotal connection at its rear end with the upper end of a vertically disposed lever 429 that is fulcrumed at its lower end on the fulcrum pin 4 3i) carried by a mounting element of the main frame. The lever 42@ is adapted to oscillate in a vertical plane. When the lever 429 is rocked forwardly under the influence of the draw Wire 528 it actuates spring biased mechanism, generally indicated at 439, which, when the control lever handle is released for return to its initial position, operates to rock a triangular-shaped lever 431 in a manner appropriate to effect shifting of the stop pin box rack 139 for destruction of an item. This triangular shaped lever dill, best shown in Figure 2, is fulcrumed as at on an element of the main frame so that the lever oscillates in a horizontal plane to shift its forward end laterally in an arc of movement. The forward end of the lever 431 has operative link connection 433 with the stop pin box rack 139.

When the operating frame is in its normal retracted position occupied prior to and following its cycle movement, the stop pin box rack is free to operate under the influence of the correcting lever mechanism for item destroying and also is free to operate in its function of item setting up prior to printing.

The lever 429 carries a crank pin i-2A having a lost motion connection with a link 4334 connected at its rear end to a stud 434A in the upper portion of the forward one, 439A, of two levers pivoted at their lower ends on a common pivot stud secured in a fixed portion of the machine. The two levers 439A and 4393 have along their forward and rearward edges, respectively, rightwardly turned flanges 441A and 13 com ted to the opposite ends of a tension spring @4533 which normally holds a projection on the forward edge of the lever 4393 against the flange i-tlA. A tension spring 4% is connected to the stud 434A of the lever 439A and to the flange 4413, the upper end portion of which is normally engaged and positioned by the rearward surface of a roller stud .42 carried by the right hand member R of the operating frame. The upper end of the forward lever 439A carries a stud pivotally supporting a pawl 335 having an upper and a lower forwardly extending arm. The upper arm of pawl 4-35 has at its forward end a lug 436 extending laterally above a rearwardly and downwardly inclined blade 437 secured to the lever 431 and overlying the rear edge thereof. At its forward edge, the blade 437 is at or slightly above the level of the upper end of a stud 438 secured in the lever 431 at its rightward corner. The lower arm of the pawl 435 has on the lower edge of its forward end portion a downwardly extending cam portion which normally rests upon an eccentrically adjustable stud 439' secured in a fixed portion of the machine and, thus, normally holds the lug 436 above the blade 437.

The stud normally maintains the parts in the positions of Fig. 3, the tension of the springs 446A and 4 4H3 overcoming the tension of a spring 435A connected at its rear end to the lower arm of pawl 435 and at its forward end to a fixed stud. if the item cancelling or correction lever is operated to pull the link 4223 and lever 429 forwardly, the link :34 and lever 43A are pulled forwardly, the springs 443A and iiiB yielding. Thereby the pawl 435 is pushed forwardly so that the cam portion of its lower arm moves forwardly of the stud :39 allowing the forwardly moved lug to drop in front of the stud 439. Then when the correcting lever is allowed to restore, the springs 44$A and 4483 pull the lever 439A and pawl 435 rearwardly, causing the lug 436 to rock the lever 431 to pull the pin box rack 139 rightwardiy to their home position to effect an item cancelling motion of the pin box. Near the end of the rearward return stroke of the pawl 435 the cam on its lower arm rides up on the stud 439 and disengages the lug 436 from the stud and thereby releases the pin box rack for item setting operation.

In each amount entering cycle of operation of the machine, the roller stud 442, moving forwardly with the operating frame, permits the spring 435A to pull the pawl 435 and levers 439A and 4393 forwardly to hook the lug 436 in front of the stud 4-33 while the blade 437 guides the lug 4-36 over the stud 4-38 though the latter may be forward of its 3 position because of the pin box being in item "idexed position. Later in the cycle, when the operating frame returns rearwardly to normal, the stud 44-2 returns the lever 4398 to the normal position of Fig. 3 and the springs 440A and 4493 then pull the lever 439A and pawl 4-35 rearwardly to normal to effect item cancelling movement and release of the pin box rack 139 in the same manner as during restoration of the correction lever.

Means is provided for locking the stop pin box against shifting movement in any direction at all times save when the operating frame is at its rearmost limit and is positioned prior to or at the conclusion of an operating cycle. This means includes a latch lever 4-4 3 that is fulcrumed as at 444 on an element of the main frame to oscillate in a horizontal plane beneath the right hand side plate of the operating frame. The lever extends laterally and inwardly with respect to the adjacent side of the main frame and at its inner end is provided with an upwardly and laterally directed lug M5 that is adapted to engage the teeth of a plate 139 fixed on the stop pin racl; 139 upon appropriate directional movement of the lever. Spring means 44-6 connected between an ear on the lever and a point of anchorage on the main frame biases the lever to swing clockwise with respect to Figure 2 into latching engagement with the teeth of the top pin racl; plate. Locating means 4 7 fixed on the side of the operating frame normally disposes the latch lever in disengaged position with respect to the stop pin rack when the operating frame is at a position of rest at its rearmost limit of travel. The latch lever has an integral upwardly and rearwardly directed lateral arm 443 that extends rearwardly into the zone of the locating means and which is formed at its rear end with an upstanding lip 4% that is engaged against a forwardly and inwardly inclined vertical face of the locating means 4-47. The locating means 447 is, in effect, a wedge effective to cam the lip 449 laterally by its entrant action so that the latch lever is rocked into a position of disengagement and is maintained in this position of disengagement so long as the locating means is operatively engaged with the latch levercarried lip 44-9. When the operating frame moves forward the wedge 447 is carried forwardly so that it clears the lever lip 44). The bias of the spring 446 carries the lever clockwise, with respect to Figure 2, as soon as the operating frame is moved sufliciently forward to clear engagement between its wedge 4 .7 and the lever lip 449. In consequence, the latch lever is carried into latching engagement with the stop pin rack teeth and the stop pin box is held against shifting in any direction. When the frame returns to its rearmost position in the second half of its cycle the wedge 447 cams the latch lever lip M9 laterally and rocks the latch lever 443 to its disengaged position in which it remains until another cycle of the operating frame is initiated.

It will be noted that the arresting engagement of the latch lever 443 with respect to the stop pin box occurs as soon as the operating frame begins to move forward in the first half of its cycle, and that the latch lever is continued in its arresting engagement with the stop pin rack until the operating frame arrives at a point almost at the extreme limit of its rearward travel. There is thus provided a range of mechanical movement which is utilized to build up tension on the spring means 448. Otherwise stated, the item destroying movement of the stop pin box cannot occur until latch lever 4-43 is disengaged from the stop pin rack and this disengagement cannot occur until the operating frame has arrived at the point, almost at the extreme rear limit of its movement, at which the frame-carried wedge d ii cams the lip 449 to disengage the latch lever. While the frame is moving rearwardly prior to disengagement of the latch lever tension on the spring means 3-49 is building, and when the lever is disengaged the spring functions in the manner previously described to rock the shift lever 431 on its pivot and draw the stop pin box and rack to the right in an item destroying action.

It is to be understood that the present disclosure is illustrative and not restrictive, and that the invention may be practiced in any form consistent with its scope as claimed.

We claim:

1. in an accounting machine, a main frame, calculating mechanism therein including a plurality of calculator actuators and a stop pin box mechanism governing the same, said stop pin box having a shifting rack, an operating member reciprocable in the frame through a full cycle, a rock lever pivoted in the frame in operating connection with said rack for item destroying movement of the stop pin box on rocking of the lever in one direction, a correction actuator pivoted in the frame, means operable to connect the correction actuator and the rock lever for item destroying movement of the rock lever on manipulation of the correction actuator, energy storing means connected to a part of said operable means to complete operation thereof, a latch biased to engage said rack immediately following initial movement of the operating member in its cycle, said latch when so engaged holding the said operable means ineffective to complete its operation by said energy storing means, and latch means on the operating member effective to enable said energy storing means to shift the rock lever and stop pin box in item destroying movement.

2. In an accounting machine, a stop pin box mounted for stepwise movement from normal position responsive to pin setting and return, an operating member movable through a cycle of operations, latching means for holding the stop pin box against movement in either direction responsive to initial movement of the cycling operating member in its cycling operations, means responsive to movement of the cycling member for generating resilient force to effect movement of the stop pin box towards normal position, and means responsive to movement of the cycling member in the end portion of its cycling operation for releasing said latching means to permit operation of the resilient force for eifecting return of the stop pin box to normal position.

3. In an accounting machine, a stop pin box mounted for stepwise movement from normal position responsive to pin setting and return, an operating member movable through a cycle of operations, a rack secured to the stop pin box for shifting movement therewith, a pawl pivotally mounted for movement into and out of engagement with said rack to eifect latching and unlatching operations respectively, spring means constantly urging said pawl toward latching position, an operative connection between said pawl and operating member to permit movement of said pawl to latching position after initial movement of the operating member in its cycle of operations to latch said stop pin box against shifting movement in either direction and to displace said pawl from latching position near the end of its cycle of operations to release said rack for shifting movement, means responsive to movement of the cycling member through its cycle of operations for building up force operative to urge said stop pin box for movement to normal position of adjustment in advance of displacement of said pawl to unlatching position whereby the stop pin box is released for return to normal position.

4. In an accounting machine, a stop pin box mounted for stepwise movement from normal position responsive to pin setting and return, an operating member movable through a cycle of operations of the machine, actuators shiftable into engagement with the pins set in the stop pin box and return during a normal cycle of operations, latching means for holding the stop pin box against movement in either direction subsequent to initial movement of the operating member and until return of the operating member to the end portion of its cycle of operations, means responsive to movement of the cycling member in its cycle of operations for generating a resilient force operative to urge the stop pin box towards normal position, and means responsive to movement of the cycling member at its end portion of cycling operations for rendering said latching means inefiective to permit the resilient force to effect return of the stop pin box to normal position.

5. In an accounting machine, a stop pin box mounted for stepwise movement from normal position responsive to pin setting and return, an operating member movable through a cycle of operations of the machine, latch-- ing means for holding the stop pin box against movement in either direction, cam means on said operating member positioned operatively to engage said latching means at the start of the cycle of operations to render said latching means eflective until camming engagement is reestablished near the end portion of the cycle of operations to return said latching means to inoperative position, and means responsive to movement of the cycling member during its cycle of operations for generating a resilient force operative to efiect movement of the stop pin box towards normal position upon release by said latching means.

6. In an accounting machine, a stop pin box mounted for stepwise movement from normal position responsive to pin setting and return, an operating member movable through a cycle of operations, a rack connected to the stop pin box for shifting movement therewith, a pawl pivotally mounted for movement into and out of engagement with said rack to effect latching and unlatching respectively, means constantly urging said pawl towards latching position, cam means on said operating member positioned operatively to engage said pawl during its cycle of operations to release the pawl for movement to latching position upon initial movement of the operating member in its cycle of operations and to cam said pawl into unlatching position during return movement of the operating member to its starting position, means responsive to movement of the cycling member for building up force in advance of operative engagement of said cam to move said pawl to unlatching position whereby the stop pin box is returned to normal position.

7. An accounting machine as claimed in claim 6 in which the means tensioning the stop pin box for move ment to normal position during a cycle of operations comprises an abutment on the operating member, an element having a portion lying in the path of the abutment during return movement of the operating member to starting position to displace said element therewith, a hooking member shiftable relative to the element between normal and tensioned positions of adjustment, resilient means joining said hooking member and element and constantly urging said hooking member to normal position, a stop operatively connected to the stop pin box assembly and shiftable therewith between normal and operated positions of adjustment, said stop lying in the path of the hooking member when in operated position for engagement therewith during return of the cycling member whereby the hooking member is displaced relative to the element further to tension the resilient means.

Thieme Sept. 30, 1919 Crosman July 13, 1937 

